NFC North Game Preview – Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Sunday the Detroit Lions have a task at hand that they must succeed at if they want to be taken serious in the chase for first place inside the NFC North division as they take on the 4-2 AFC North division leading Cincinnati Bengals lead by quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green.

Coming off a road victory in Cleveland, Detroit hosts Cincinnati in Week 7 and then the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 before a much needed bye week rest in Week 9 to help superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson and a banged up secondary get their legs underneath them a bit better, no pun intended.

Offensively speaking, the Lions, who are ranked 7th in the NFL with a 27.0 game scoring average is inside the top-10 in both yards passing, 284.3, as well as total yardage, 378.5. But things get worse on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 19th in points allowed with 23.3 as well as 26th in total yardage with 393.2. Ironically, the Bengals are on a completely opposite side of the spectrum, dominating in defense yet struggling offensively.

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Founder and Executive Director of FFLockerRoom Sports. Detroit Lions correspondent for the Fantasy Pros. Proud member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) and an "Approved Expert" at the Fantasy Pros. Formerly of the Most Valuable Network (MVN), the Bruno Boys and Baseball News Source.

Fantasy Player News

Armando Salguero, via Twitter, has reported that free agent running back Stevan Ridley, who underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL and MCL last November, is visiting with the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. This is one of the teams I expected to bring him in for a visit. The Dolphins prefer to operate as a running back by committee and Ridley would be a nice compliment to speed back Lamar Miller. If signed, Ridley and Miller would have fantasy value in the Dolphins offensive scheme. He would have to settle for a one year “prove it” type of contract.

Ian Rapoport, via Twitter, has reported that the Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with wide receiver Miles Austin on a one-year $2.3 million contract. He is coming off a 2014 with the Cleveland Browns where he finished with 47 receptions, 568 yards, and three touchdowns. Hamstring injuries have taken away Austin’s athletic ability as he struggles to separate from defenders. I view him as backup in 2015. The fantasy value of Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff continue to trend up.

ESPN reporter Josina Anderson has reported that free agent WR Hakeem Nicks is visiting with the San Francisco 49ers. Just like Michael Crabtree, lower leg injuries have taken away his athleticism and ability to create separation. Nicks bet on himself in 2014 with the Indianapolis Colts and finished with 38 receptions, 405 yards, and four touchdowns. He will unlikely be on the fantasy radar heading into the 2015 season.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Sam Bradford contemplated retiring from the NFL after his second left ACL tear in 2014. He has also come back from right shoulder surgery and a left ACL tear. Former Oklahoma QB Josh Huepel reportedly talked Bradford out of retiring. In my opinion, the Philadelphia Eagles and any other NFL team looking into him have conducted proper due diligence. Teams are aware of his injury history and mental makeup. Is Bradford’s upside worth the risk? The Eagles have yet to find a mobile quarterback to properly threaten defenses with the zone read. I see Bradford being traded prior to the NFL Draft or on draft day.

Kris Bryant was reassigned to minor league camp today but unlike Javier Baez, his stay there is likely to be brief. Bryant was the top hitter in the Cactus League, blasting homers off any and all he faced. By sending him down, and keeping him down for at least two weeks, the Cubs will retain an extra year of control on him. It’s a stupid rule that Major League Baseball needs to revisit. If the Cubs miss the playoffs by just a few games, they can likely blame this move for it.

The Cubs have optioned Javier Baez to the minors. Last year Baez hit .169 with 95 strikeouts in only 52 games and this spring he picked up right where he left off. Tommy La Stella and Arismendy Alcantara will get the starts at second base. Baez is still only 22 years old but with Addison Russell also in the Cubs system, he better lose his Pedro Cerrano ways and learn to hit the off speed stuff if he wants to be a Cub.

Denver Broncos.com has reported that Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak has confirmed C.J. Anderson will open OTAs as the team’s starting running back. He said that “I think he’s shown he has all the ability to be an excellent starter in this league, so we’re really looking forward to working with him.” Anderson is a perfect fit in running zone schemes because he’s a north-south runner and has the patience to let the play continually develop until the optimal choice for the running lane is shown. This news, although expected, solidifies Anderson as a top 10 running back heading into fantasy drafts this summer.

Mike Jurecki, via Twitter, reported that Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians would like to see more “consistency” from wide receiver Michael Floyd in his fourth NFL season. Arians went on to mention Floyd was a “victim” of the Cardinals revolving door at QB and feels he is a “1,000 yard player every year.” The 13th pick in the 2012 draft was on a number of sleeper lists heading into the 2014 season. It would help Floyd’s production if the Cardinals expand his route tree in their offensive game plan instead of using him on vertical routes. He finished last season with 47 receptions, 844 yards, and six touchdowns. Floyd finished the season with 3rd most deep targets in the league.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy wants to keep Eddie Lacy fresh by limiting his touches. This strategy makes sense because he is a high injury risk given his history. Despite not being used as a workhorse in 2014 Lacy was very efficient finishing with 1,751 total yards and 13 touchdowns on 328 touches. He will be a top three running back heading into fantasy football drafts this summer.

ESPN Boston has reported that free agent running back Stevan Ridley will visit with NFL teams this week. In 2014, with the New England Patriots, Ridley had 94 carries for 340 rushing yards and two touchdowns before a torn ACL and MCL ended his season. He is expected to be cleared in about six weeks and should find an opportunity as an early-down back on a short-term deal. Ridley is a low risk, high upside signing who could help a team like the Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers, or the Minnesota Vikings.